Heroes Rise, sixth entry: We Know What You’re Thinking

Welcome, brave adventurers…

… to the sixth entry into the Heroes Rise chronicle. This episode was recorded on Saturday, 30th December 2017, and made available for download on Wednesday, 3rd January 2017 at heroesrisepodcast.com

Ryu, Lennon and Ostron are back with their crystal balls in tow for their first show of 2018. First up, Ryu shows us a book that’s in her Adventurer’s Pack that can help bring more people into this hobby of ours. Then we take a look at some D&D News as we bring you:

Our predictions for D&D in 2018

And Lennon and Ostron debate psionics in D&D

After that we take a Short Rest and check out some Unearthed Mundana, this week on the titles of royalty; before finishing off the show by looking into the Scrying Pool to see what you have to say.

A Short Rest: Unearthed Mundana — Royal Titles

This Week’s Community Questions

What are your D&D predictions for 2018? How wrong are we likely to be? Where do you think our next official adventures will be set?

And where do you fall on psionics in D&D? Love them, hate them, somewhere in between? Do you have hope that 5e will make the mechanics palatable?

Heroes Rise are always on the lookout for new team members that have a passion for Dungeons and Dragons. Please know that all of our positions are volunteer, but we do offer a well known outlet for your work. If you have a particular skill that you believe could enhance our content, then send your contact information and experience to sendingstone@heroesrisepodcast.com

You can also follow us on the social media sites! We’re on Facebook! Head over to facebook.com/heroesrisednd and say “hi”, or check us out on Twitter via @heroesrisednd for details of our show times and other fun stuff.

A special thanks to Vindsvept for making the awesome music you hear throughout the show, be sure to check him out at vindsvept.bandcamp.com; and a special thanks to the designer of our banners and avatars, Lo of Lo’s Lair — you can find him on Twitter @RealLarryD and on Facebook at facebook.com/LosLair

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5 Comments

Marty

January 3, 2018 at 8:09 pm

I’ve learned my lesson! Apparently I shouldn’t write anything I don’t want to be read on the podcast. 😉

Another fine episode with another engaging debate! And it’s nice to know that Lennon can be as wrong as Ostron was about min/max-ing. Also, I look forward to hearing Ryu take a strong stance on a topic so that I can disagree with her too. (tee hee)

For the games I run, I don’t feel a legitimate “need” for psionics… part of that probably comes from my pseudoscientific approach to magic in general and my willingness to homebrew liberally. Other parts may result from a) not really understanding psionics or how they should fit into a fantasy setting, b) getting all the new age vibes I need in D&D from druids and monks, and c) not feeling that magic, as it is currently written, is really missing anything.

Perhaps my games haven’t reached that level of complexity yet. My off-the-table magic-related mind games are usually confined to trying to figure out the real difference between the ways divine magic is manifested by clerics versus paladins. Ah, the joys of unending worldbuilding.

…but I’m hoping that 5E is around for a relatively long time, so I’m in favour of every setting and flavour of previous editions having an unbroken version in this one. 5E Gamma World, maybe? Or, for the masochistic DMs, kender perhaps?

Gath Memvar

January 3, 2018 at 10:04 pm

At my table, Psionics are banned for exactly the reasons Ostron mentions: they are not implemented well, and whenever a PC gets them, they’re grossly overpowered. To me, Psionics fits two roles: space magic, and the magic of absurdly powerful beings, such as deities. Lennon is right that Psionics should be next-tier magic, but I agree with Ostron that it should be restricted from player usage. If Wizards wanted to implement Psions for players, they’d have to completely retool the magic system so non-psionic characters have tools available to not be relegated obsolete. Alternatively, they may need to make the two systems mutually exclusive in a fantasy setting. You can have Psions or magic, but not both. If they introduce it as a template you can add to monsters, much like the shadow dragon template, then it may work pretty well as another tool in the DM’s toolbox. If I wanted my players to fight Vecna or Wee-Jas, I doubt they’d have the restrictions of the current spellcasting system.

I’m surprised they seem to be pushing forward on Psionics given how controversial it is. Psions feel more suited for Sci-Fi/Space Operas where they work well as space magic users, not High Fantasy where they feel more shoe-horned in.

Barry Peterson

January 8, 2018 at 2:06 am

I’m intrigued by Ostron’s prediction of a new non-magical class. However, I’m stymied as to what class that might be? When talk of a new class arises, I automatically go to shaman and warden but they both use some sort of magic. Do you all, have any thoughts on what this class might be? Thanks.

Bruce Mohler (Tomasthanes)

January 8, 2018 at 11:10 pm

I described 2017 as the year D&D became streaming entertainment with all of the shows on Twitch and YouTube. I was concerned that people would, over time, prefer to watch celebrities play D&D rather than play the game themselves or that people sitting around a table playing D&D would feel that their quips aren’t quite as clever as the stand-up comics and voice actors on the streaming channels.

Mark O'Brien

January 14, 2018 at 10:00 pm

Hello Merry band, I’m a bit late to the party on this, but I predict for 2018, a new setting to be introduced, or at least a splat book in the same vein of the Sword Coast Adventurers guide – this will focus specifically on either the settings of Eberron or Dark Sun. Furthermore, I predict this will include the new Artificer, a revised Warforged and Psionic rules (though the release of these is pretty much confirmed..

If WoTC do not produce a specific setting book, they will instead open the DM’s Guild to the setting allowing player made materials for this setting, and produce guidelines through numerous UA to support. This may just be my own wishful thinking, but a get a sense that 2018 will be another exciting yeah for us.